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WATCH: Height, heart put Ateneo center Kai Sotto way above juniors competition

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ABS-CBN News

<p>At 7-foot-1, it has been said that there&#x27;s still room for Kai Sotto to add a few more inches to his towering frame.</p><p>If his performance in the UAAP juniors basketball finals is any indication, the 15-year-old Ateneo Blue Eaglets center has no problem with the growth process.</p><p>Sotto&#x27;s numbers have been shaking-my-head ridiculous this season, but his performance late in Game 3 against the National University Bullpups showed he has developed into a reliable force in the direst, most pressure-packed of situations.</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kai Sotto towers above everyone for the CLUTCH put-back! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UAAPSeason80Jrs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UAAPSeason80Jrs</a> <a href="https://t.co/OWagYTmNzq">pic.twitter.com/OWagYTmNzq</a></p>— ABS-CBN Sports (@abscbnsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/abscbnsports/status/969512749389631493?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>Sotto played a key role down the stretch of a closely fought game, using his height and length to make 3 putbacks about 4 minutes left in the contest, the last one the game-winner with 25.3 seconds.</p><p>He finished with 19 points, 13 rebounds and 3 blocks, earning for him finals MVP.</p><p>&quot; &#x27;Yung finals MVP, lahat &#x27;yun, para sa team ko. Hindi ko naman makukuha yun kung di dahil sa coach ko at sa teammates ko,&quot; Sotto said in an <a href="https://sports.abs-cbn.com/uaap/news/2018/03/02/finals-mvp-sotto-ako-ang-pinakamasayang-tao-sa-pilipinas-38398">interview posted</a> on ABS-CBN Sports.</p><p>The words poise and steady are rare qualities attributed to 15-year-olds, but Sotto possesses heavy doses of both.</p><p>The video below is one sequence that demonstrates this:</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kai Sotto nails the tough hook even after getting hacked! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/UAAPSeason80Jrs?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UAAPSeason80Jrs</a> <a href="https://t.co/caTonZNZE3">pic.twitter.com/caTonZNZE3</a></p>— ABS-CBN Sports (@abscbnsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/abscbnsports/status/969505629600604160?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2018</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div><p>In the post-game interview, Sotto said he wanted to make good on a promise he made to his coach. </p><p>&quot;Tinext po kasi ako ni coach Joe (Silva), sabi niya, &#x27;Kai, kailangan ka namin. Kailangan mong ipakita talaga &#x27;yung galing mo.&#x27;</p><p>&quot;Sabi ko naman, &#x27;Coach, di na kailangang sabihin &#x27;yan. Gagawin ko talaga &#x27;yan kasi itong last game, para sayo &#x27;to.&#x27; &quot;</p><p>Philippine basketball not only has never seen a 7-foot teenage basketball player with the skills that Sotto has, but it has also never come across a local player this young carrying lofty expectations exhibit such guts and heart.</p><p>And deliver when he says he will.</p><div><strong>For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.</strong></div>

<p>The finals MVP of UAAP juniors basketball came through for the Blue Eaglets when they needed him the most.</p>

The finals MVP of UAAP juniors basketball came through for the Blue Eaglets when they needed him the most.